Vidya Balan is an Indian actress. She has established a successful career in Hindi cinema and is the recipient of several awards, including a National Film Award, five Filmfare Awards, and five Screen Awards, and was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2014. She is known for portraying strong female protagonists and has been acknowledged in the media for pioneering a change in the concept of a Hindi film heroine. Her notable films include the drama Paa (2009), the black comedy Ishqiya (2010), the semi-biographical thriller No One Killed Jessica (2011), the biopic The Dirty Picture (2011), and the thriller Kahaani (2012).